Kumbh Mela: Songs of the River(2004)

India Cabaret(hi)

An exploration of the 'respectable' and 'immoral' stereotypes of women in Indian society told from the point of view of two striptease dancers in a Bombay cabaret.

A Journey to Haifa(en)

An openly gay filmmaker goes on a conservative religious pilgrimage to Haifa, Israel with his family.

India: Kingdom of the Tiger(en)

Journey across India, a breath taking land shaped by a myriad of cultures, customs and traditions. Come face to face with the Bengal Tiger and explore the work of this majestic creature with stunning clarity. Soar over blue-hazed Himalayan peaks and sweep down towards the thundering Indian Ocean as we celebrate the power and beauty of India's greatest ambassador - the mighty Bengal Tiger.

Millions Can Walk(en)

Hundreds of thousands of Indian men and women – indigenous inhabitants and landless farmers – demand their right to existence by making a 400 kilometre protest march from Gwalior to Delhi. How can one fight for one’s rights without using violence? With such an important contemporary question, the film spreads far beyond the borders of India. It shows the multiple facets of this imposing protest march and focuses as well on the daily realities of these proud people.

Marching in the Dark(mr)

In a drought-struck region in India, suffering from climate change and a high suicide rate amongst farmers, a group of resilient women farmers, who recently lost their husbands, is coming together with a local psychologist to learn counselling and help others in grief.

By the River(hi)

Stretching along the river Ganges rests Varanasi, the holiest of India’s seven sacred cities, and a place where devout Hindus go to die in hopes of achieving moksha - becoming liberated from the cycle of rebirth. Hindu scriptures say that a soul has to undergo 8.4 million rebirths before reaching the human form, the only form one can attain moksha, and dying in Varanasi and being cremated along the banks of the river is believed to be the ideal way of achieving this. Several so-called ‘death hotels’ exist to accommodate believers who abandon their lives and come here in wait for death - some for as long as 40 years.

L'âme indienne Martiniquaise(fr)

Portrait of a City(en)

A documentary portrait of Calcutta

Glow Worm in a Jungle(en)

Glow Worm in a Jungle is about Hema Sane, a retired botany professor, who has never used electricity in her life. Living surrounded by nature, amidst a concrete jungle, she shares her philosophy of life with doses of humor and wisdom.

Immortal Stupa(en)

Documentary on the Great Stupa at Sanchi, built by the Emperor Ashoka, and adorned with some of the finest examples of Buddhist art in the world.

Ruins of Delhi(en)

Attractive travelogue filmed in and around Delhi's Qutb complex.

Villenour (French India: Territory of Pondicherry)(xx)

Gorgeously dreamlike colour images of (then) French India – present-day Puducherry.

Mahatma Gandhi Noa Khali March(xx)

Remarkable amateur footage of Mahatma Gandhi shot by his great nephew in 1947.

Buen Camino(ko)

A visually impaired woman in her 50s and an 18-year-old girl walk the Camino de Santiago. The older woman, Jae-han, is a masseuse who can only make out the dim outlines of things. She is accompanied by a girl named Da-hee. Jae-han dreams of presenting her own style of flamenco in front of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela after completing the pilgrimage. However, the journey, which began with a vague longing, turns out to be much more difficult than either had expected.

Purdah(hi)

The inspiring story of a young Indian Muslim woman who trades her burka for dreams of playing on the Mumbai Senior Women's Cricket Team and how the harsh realities for women in her country creates an unexpected outcome for her own family, ultimately shattering and fueling aspirations.

New Jerusalem(uk)

Every year, thousands of Ukrainian Christians undertake a pilgrimage to Zarvanytsia, a sacred place. Between prayers they share news, brag about their wealth, take pictures of chapels, give interviews, witness miracles. Witness miracles?

Litigating Disaster(en)

December 3, 1984. Bhopal, India. The biggest and deadliest chemical disaster of all time. Nearly twenty years later the ordeal isn't over, justice has not been done. Had the disaster occurred in the developed world, heads would have rolled, prison sentences would have been served, changes would have been made. But the disaster didn't happen in the West, but in this obscure Indian city.

King Cobra(en)

It delivers enough venom in one bite to kill a hundred people, yet it solely preys on other snakes. Through rare footage follow the King Cobra on its journey throughout the rainforests of India seeking food and a mate.

Tins for India(en)

Documenting the production of kerosene tins and their reuse in rural India, this early short by Bimal Roy observes industrial labor and everyday life with a restrained, humanist perspective.

Around India with a Movie Camera(en)

Award-winning filmmaker Sandhya Suri (I for India) skilfully weaves together archive footage to create an emotionally resonant story about life across India from 1899 to 1947. Drawn exclusively from the BFI National Archive, Around India features some of the earliest surviving film from India as well as gorgeous travelogues, intimate home movies and newsreels from British, French and Indian filmmakers. Taking in Maharajas and Viceroys, fakirs and farmhands and personalities such as Sabu and Gandhi, the film explores not only the people and places of over 70 years ago, but asks us to engage with broader themes of a shared history, shifting perspectives in the lead up to Indian independence and the ghosts of the past. Around India boasts a superb new score that fuses western and Indian music from composer and sarod player Soumik Datta.